Forgotten Emotions
by RoadMart
Summary: An unfortunate encounter leaves Kuroko with no memories of her life in Academy City. What's Mikoto to do? Not only is her best friend no longer herself, but an underlying conspiracy may tear them apart - if her growing feelings for the girl can't keep them together. MikoKuro, rating tentative based on progression of events.
1. First Relapse

**Hello again everyone~! I said I was working on a multichapter MikoKuro and I deliver! Thank you very much to Kamilia07329 for beta-reading for me so this could be put up!**

**A few notes to keep in mind: This fic is written in third person limited from the POV of Mikoto (and sometimes Kuroko). As such, I use their first names but the names they refer to their friends as, so Uiharu, Saten, Konori-sempai, etc. I don't have a specific time frame that this takes place in, although I imagine it around the Daihasei Festival arc (although I won't bring any of that plot into it since its not complete in the Railgun manga). And of course this is from the Railgun side.**

**So are you ready? No? PERFECT, let's go!**

* * *

"Onee-sama, really, what am I going to do with you?"

The Teleporter shook her head and crossed her arms. This was the third time this week that something had happened. First there was an electrical explosion, then a power outage, and now a whole system failure due to electrical overload? As if the current Judgment cases weren't enough, now she had all this to worry about…

"Well how was I supposed to know the system was that sensitive?!" rebutted the Electromaster and undeniable culprit of the aforementioned issues rather loudly. She followed up with a grumble of "most of the systems I've hacked can take a lot more than that…"

"That's not the point, Onee-sama." She sighed. "I've told you a million times not to get involved in my work, and to leave things to us, _and_ to be careful with your powers."

The other esper's eyes flared with anger, but she only groaned and slumped into the couch. "Yeah yeah, I know…"

It was the Judgment officer's turn to grumble. "You know and yet you never listen to me…"

"What was that?"

Kuroko sighed again and waved her hand. "Why don't you return home, Onee-sama? The paperwork we needed you for has been filled out and I can take care of the rest. There is quite a bit to do since there are so many incidences now, however, so do not expect me home anytime soon." Any other day, she'd try to exploit this situation and convince her senior that her mistake should be repaid by keeping her company, but today, for some reason, she just didn't want her to stay.

Mikoto was feeling a bit odd today too. Normally she'd wave off the issues she'd caused because Kuroko was taking care of it – after all, her partner was the best Judgment member she knew, next to Uiharu – but today she felt, well, regretful. She really hadn't meant to cause trouble this time and it seemed her junior was really burdened now. Surely there was some way she could help? "I can help with some of it, can't I?" She straightened her posture. "Maybe I can fill out the reports or something?"

"No Onee-sama, you've done enough." It came out a little harsher than she intended, making the Electromaster look a bit surprised. That faded quickly and the Teleporter saw her look turn angry. Kuroko didn't have time for this; her Onee-sama could be angry at her somewhere else. She gently tugged her off the couch and turned her to the exit. "Please return home, and try to avoid doing anything else that will put a burden on me."

"Kuroko, let me just—"

"No, Onee-sama. Go home."

Mikoto was, for lack of a better word, shocked. That was the most irate voice Kuroko had ever spoken to her in. No, not irate…most exasperated? That sounded right. She let the girl push her out the door and stood out in the stairwell of the Judgment branch with a dumbfounded look on her face.

Kuroko caught on almost immediately. What was wrong with her today? First she didn't want her beloved Onee-sama around, and now she was being impatient with her? She frowned and sighed, stepping into the stairwell with her and closing the door behind them. "Onee-sama, please understand," she said cautiously, "I am not trying to reprimand you, but every time you do something like this, I get more work. There has been an increase in student misbehavior, especially in the areas that we take care of, and these mishaps are not helping. It would be nice if you could watch your actions, for my sake."

Mikoto was listening, but instead of trying to understand, each word she heard only made her angrier. Talking to her like she was a nuisance…where did she get the idea she could do that? Her fists clenched as the girl finished, and it took all of her willpower not to snap at her. "I'm not trying to make your life harder," she said through gritted teeth. "It just kind of happens. You know that."

"Yes, I do know." Kuroko put a tentative hand on her shoulder. "But you need to control it."

"I know what I'm doing, Kuroko!" Mikoto pushed the girl's hand away and took a step back. "I'm a Level 5 for a reason, okay?!"

Suddenly Kuroko's expression looked very annoyed – uncharacteristically annoyed. "Then why don't you start acting like one?" she hissed.

"What the Hell does that mean?!" Mikoto bellowed, getting into Kuroko's face.

Her tone was even and quiet, but her words were incredibly firm. "You are always letting your powers run wild. The moment anything upsets you, you let the electricity flow wherever it wants to go. Your powers are lost in the sea of emotions you can't control, and therefore you can't control your powers. You blow something up or you knock out the power, and sometimes you even hurt people." Her eyes narrowed. "Then I get the work. I have to pay for the trouble you've caused. I have to spend more time here than at home, where I want to be. I have to sacrifice my precious time—"

"Enough!" roared Mikoto as she stomped her foot, letting electricity rattle through the metal stairwell. The lights flickered a few times. "I am so tired of your lectures! You never consider how I feel when this happens, do you? What, do you think I do this for fun? You think I do this on purpose?" Sparks flew wildly around her. "Do you think I try to make your life Hell?! You think this is all about you, isn't it?!" Suddenly a large bolt shot at the lights and short-circuited them. They were plunged into darkness.

Kuroko didn't respond immediately. It was too dark to see her expression, but Mikoto didn't really care. She was too angry. She waited only a moment before she decided she was going to turn around and storm out—

"This was never about me," came Kuroko, but in a voice Mikoto had never heard. It was so quiet, so filled with emotions that she thought it almost sounded…dark. "This has never been about me."

The lights flickered back on a moment later. Mikoto didn't get a look at Kuroko's face before the door opened and Konori appeared. "Hey, are you two okay?" she asked. "The lights went out and I know it gets pretty dark in—"

"We're fine," Kuroko cut her off in her usual tone. "We were merely talking some things out." She turned on her heel and straightened up. Mikoto still couldn't see her expression, and now that she had a moment to cool down she was a little concerned. She had spent more than enough time with the Teleporter to know when something was wrong, and after the outburst she just had – which she was already starting to regret terribly – she knew she had probably hurt her feelings. Konori's expression looked worried too, which wasn't a good sign.

What Mikoto did notice was that Kuroko's hand, which was clenched into a hard fist, relaxed. Her head turned towards her just a bit, but not enough to show her face.

"Please go home. I have work to do."

Suddenly she had teleported away. The two could hear sounds from inside as she reappeared and sat at her desk. Konori looked from her back to Mikoto and lowered her voice. "Is everything alright? You two look a little shaken up."

Now calm again, Mikoto felt her heart sinking. She had really done it this time…"Um…yeah. Yeah, everything's alright." She took a step back. "I'm, uh, going to go home. Let me know if you need me for anything about my stuff, kay?"

Konori nodded and bid her farewell. Mikoto found herself rushing out of the facility, her head swimming with worry and her heart drowning in guilt.

- とある科学のレールガン –

Kuroko never came home that night. Or, at least, not when Mikoto was awake. She returned home in a flurry of emotions and was unable to do anything productive for hours. She couldn't even fall asleep until her raging emotions had finally run her ragged and she passed out on the side of her bed. Even then she dreamed of their fight; how she had yelled at Kuroko, and that dark voice when she said those final words…She woke up the next morning incredibly restless. She did, however, wake up in her bed; there was no one home when she woke, so she assumed Kuroko must have come home late, put her in bed, and taken off before she woke up. This did nothing to help the dilemma she was facing.

_God, why am I feeling so guilty?_ she groaned as she got ready for class. _It's not like I yelled at her more loudly than I normally do or anything. It's not any different from other times we've fought…_ As she kept thinking, however, a realization dawned on her. When was the last time Kuroko ever fought back? If we were talking about offensive and defensive here, Mikoto was always on the offense and Kuroko on defense. Hell, the Teleporter rarely ever let it become an argument; she'd back down almost immediately – and if she didn't, a little punch or shock put her in her place. _Yeah, I guess…_ The hands that buttoned her shirt slowed to a stop. _I'm always the one yelling at her…hurting her…_

A gloom set over the level five that she was unable to shake all day. _It's all my fault _was all she could think. It kept ringing in her head and building up more guilt and frustration. She had to apologize to her roommate; that was the only way to get rid of it. That proved easier said than done, however, because she couldn't find Kuroko at school. She even waited outside some of her classes for her, but the girl was nowhere. _Maybe she had an emergency at Judgment and ran off for awhile? _she guessed. When the little auburn-haired girl was still a no-show after the third class Mikoto had checked, she asked one of the girl's classmates. (Kuroko didn't have many friends here at Tokiwadai besides the Electromaster, but she seemed to be on friendly terms with a few girls she shared classes with.) The girl said she hadn't seen her all day; apparently she hadn't shown up to any of her classes. Now _that_ was strange. _Kuroko never misses classes. What the Hell is going on?_

By the end of the day she was a wreck. Since Kuroko couldn't possibly be skipping classes, she decided she must be at the Judgment branch. _I bet she's working on the reports for all the trouble I caused…_ she lamented as she rushed to the office. She was almost at the door already. _I'm definitely gonna help her if that's what she's working o—_

_Bash!_ She ran full-force into someone who was running out of the branch and they both tumbled to the ground. Mikoto landed on top of the person and groaned. "Man, what the heck?" She sat up and mumbled an apology when she realized who she had crashed into. "Ah, Uiharu."

The smaller girl whined as she sat up and rubbed where the Tokiwadai student had landed on. "H-Hello, Misaka-san." She gave her a lopsided smile as she stood up, but then she gasped when she remembered what she was doing. "I'm sorry, I have to go! There's a situation!"

Well that wasn't good. "What situation? What's going on?" she spoke quickly.

"It's Shirai-san. She went to take care of some thugs and when she engaged them, the line suddenly went dead! We haven't been able to reach her for awhile now!"

Mikoto felt her heart tighten. "I'll go. Where is she?"

"Misaka-san, you're a civilian so I can't really—"

"Tell me where she is, Uiharu!" The smaller girl flinched at the force of her yell. Mikoto immediately felt bad and huffed. "Look, I can handle myself in a battle better than you can. You can stay here and give me support and if I can't handle it, I'll have you call for backup, okay?"

Uiharu looked unsure, but she couldn't deny that the Electromaster would be better suited to this scenario. "Well, okay. Here." She handed her an extra headset – most likely a replacement for Kuroko's assuming it was broken or destroyed. "She's on the other side of the district. I'll be on the line and will give you a specific location in a moment."

"Alright." Mikoto nodded and put on the headset. "Just do for me what you do for Kuroko."

The other girl nodded and they each took off. The level 5 found herself making a mad dash towards the Teleporter's location. _I have to get to her_, she thought. _She's been gone because of me, and if she gets hurt…_ She tried to shake the thoughts from her head. _I'll save you, okay, Kuroko? Just hold on._

She hadn't yet reached her destination when Uiharu began to relay a more exact position to her. Apparently Kuroko had engaged the thugs just outside the area designated as Skill Out territory and they had lost the signal there. As soon as she got the location, Mikoto picked up her speed, even powering her treads with a bit of electricity to give her an extra boost. A few of the people she zoomed by were nearly knocked over but she paid them no mind. She was too focused on reaching her destination.

Finally she slid around a corner and into the alleyway she was directed to. Sparks jumped from her forehead as she entered. The buildings around it cast shadows that were dark enough for someone to hide in. "Kuroko?" she called as she continued cautiously. There was no answer. A few feet in, she saw something on the ground. When she approached and knelt, it seemed to be the remains of a headset, and next to it was a small pool of blood. "Uiharu, I found her headset and blood. Can you see anything around here?"

"Um…" There was some typing from the other side. "I'm pulling up the security cameras…" Mikoto stood up, looking worriedly to the other side of the alley. She didn't see a blood trail so either it wasn't Kuroko that was injured or she had teleported rather than walked away. "I don't see anything in the area, but- Oh wait!"

Somewhere outside the alley there was a dull explosion. "There's a guy attacking something in an alleyway a few blocks up!"

"Roger!" Mikoto was off in a second, now clinging to and running along the walls. She followed Uiharu's directions and soon was able to pinpoint the source of the sound. Just as she reached it, an explosion went off in an alleyway and something was knocked out and onto the ground. The Electromaster shot herself over, only to see that the something was actually a someone – the someone she was looking for.

"Kuroko!" she yelled frantically. The girl was lying on the ground, conscious but not moving. She could see that the Teleporter was not visibly injured, but the look on her face – it was like her mind was somewhere else. Suddenly a rocket shot towards the girl. Mikoto had no time to think as she barely managed to grab Kuroko and roll out of the way. It crashed just in front of where they used to be.

The assailants hadn't come out of the alleyway yet, giving Mikoto a moment to look down at her companion. "Kuroko, are you—" She stopped when she felt her aimlessly grasping at her shirt. Kuroko's eyes were glazed over and her face was devoid of emotion. It looked like she wasn't even registering that Mikoto was there. "Kuroko?" she called out, taking the girl's hand and putting an arm around her shoulders. The smaller girl didn't respond. She barely even twitched at the contact.

"Misaka-san, what's going on?!" came Uiharu from the headset.

Mikoto was at a loss for words. "I…I don't know. Something's wrong with Kuroko." She tried waving a hand in front of the girl's face. Again, no response. "It's like she's in a trance or something."

Laughter came from in front of her. The Electromaster looked up and saw a few men emerge from the cloud of smoke the last explosion had caused. The man in the middle wore a nice white suit and sunglasses and had slicked back hair, looking rather clean for a thug (if he even was one, which now Mikoto was unsure of). The two behind him were dressed casually. The one to his left must have been the one shooting at them, as he held a rocket launcher slightly smaller than the usual models Mikoto had seen Anti-Skill confiscate from war lords and the like.

The man in the middle cocked his head to the side. "I wouldn't call it a trance, per se," he said in an amused tone. "More like…a time-out. A reboot, if you will."

Mikoto gritted her teeth. "What did you do to her?"

He chuckled. "Well, the little girl was trying to apprehend us. That wasn't really in our agenda, and having her teleporting all over the place was a pain, so I…shut down her mind. Stopped her brain from functioning, essentially."

Dangerously large sparks flew around the girl as a glare settled on the man. "Well you better make it function again or I'm going to have to make yours stop, too."

"Oh really?" He let out a laugh this time. The man behind him armed the rocket launcher at her. "Well I'm afraid I can't do that if I don't have a brain to work with, now can I?"

"Misaka-san, what's going—?" The line cut off with a simple electric discharge. She gritted her teeth and her sparks subsided.

"Let her go."

"Oh, see, I'd love to, but that girl there…Well, I'm afraid I may have done more than just shut her brain off."

The man behind him that was unarmed looked a little nervous and mumbled something to the supposed leader as Mikoto's expression grew darker by the moment. She looked down to the girl in her arms; her eyes were lidded now and she looked lethargic. She pursed her lips and gently set her down, standing up. Both the underlings seemed to get nervous as she slowly reached into her pocket. The rocket launcher twitched as it was loaded.

"Now now, sweetheart, I wouldn't try anything unless you want to befall the same fate" – he motioned to the rocket launcher – "and be unable to dodge the explosion that'll turn both of you into ash piles."

Her hand stopped, but her eyes didn't move from him. "What else did you do to Kuroko?"

He shrugged. "Oh, well you see, my ability is called Mental Ruin. What you see happening to your friend – her inability to function on a mental level – is due to my ability. Now, I'm a smart man and know that Teleporters need to do some complicated calculations to teleport." He chuckled. "Well I thought, 'If she can't remember how to do the calculations, she can't teleport, right?' So while she was jumping around trying to avoid explosions, I shut down the neural pathways that led to those memories. Unfortunately I'm only a Level 3 and can't pick and choose what I shut down, so I had to shut down all the memories…but that works too, right?" His men laughed. "The result was that she instantly forgot everything, so her brain shut down. Now she's much easier to deal with." The three of them laughed this time.

In a second a huge beam of lightning had shot right above the men and hit the rocket launcher, instantly destroying it and narrowly striking the men. They looked to the girl, now surrounded by a deadly aura and even more deadly lightning bolts. "So, you wiped her mind like you were wiping a hard drive, huh?" Her voice made them quiver. She started to approach them, each step sending shockwaves out around her. Slowly they were pushed back to a wall in fear. By the time the leader bumped against the wall, he looked around him only to notice that his men had run off. She stopped at five feet from him and brought another coin to her fingers, pointing it at him.

"I'm sure Anti-Skill will be here shortly," she said in a low voice. "If you want to be taken into custody alive instead of as a corpse, you'll fix her mind right now."

The man was sweating bullets. "Um, w-w-well, you see, there's a funny story about that—"

"I'm not in the mood for funny stories."

"Alright alright! L-Look, I can't actually fix her." He looked downright terrified as he tried to smile. "I-I'm not a high enough level to know how to reverse it yet. So, uh, t-there's really nothing I can do."

Mikoto frowned even more. Sparks flew around the coin. "Are you sure?"

"Yes! Yes yes yes I'm sure! I'm telling the truth!" His knees gave out and he clapped his hands together. "Please believe me! I-I would if I could in a heartbeat! I swear!"

The Electromaster didn't look pleased. She flipped the coin in the air.

"Oh God no! Please! Please!"

A loud bang sounded as the Railgun went off. A light shot into the air as the beam burned a hole straight through the wall – just above the man's head. As electricity crackled around them, Mikoto sighed. "Well, guess I'll let Anti-Skill deal with you." She then turned around and ran back over to Kuroko.

Needless to say the man's pants were no longer white.

Mikoto knelt next to the girl again. Her eyes were closed, but she had moved and was now curled up on her side. Upon closer examination, it seemed the girl really wasn't hurt, just covered in dirt and grime that was kicked up by the explosions. Her expression fell as she brushed a large chunk of rock from her hair. _Oh Kuroko…Somehow I can't help but think this is my fault._

Anti-Skill showed up only a few minutes later. Mikoto lifted the girl up and explained what had happened. The thug leader was cuffed and complied without resistance, and some troops managed to catch his buddies a few blocks down. Meanwhile, an ambulance arrived and examined the girls. Mikoto quickly handed her roommate over but made it clear she wasn't leaving her side. Not wanting to deny a distraught Level Five her wish, the crew let her ride in the ambulance with them. All the while, Mikoto kept a protective hand on her companion's shoulder.

_It's okay, Mikoto,_ she told herself. _Kuroko will be fine. You'll see._

- とある科学のレールガン –

About an hour later, Mikoto was still pacing in the lobby of a certain hospital. No one had come out to inform her of Kuroko's condition yet. Uiharu was there as well, sitting and watching the Electromaster with a worried expression. As they continued to wait, Saten arrived in a flurry, having been informed by Uiharu, and asked about the Teleporter. Seeing Mikoto visibly tense, Uiharu explained the situation to her quietly.

Not long after that, a nurse approached them. Mikoto wasted no time following her to the correct room. The small girl was hooked up to a couple of diagnostic machines. There were wires placed all over from her hairline to her temples. A few bandages dotted her arms and there was a patch on her cheek. The girl herself seemed to be unconscious, but she had a peaceful expression on her face.

"She doesn't seem to have any external injuries besides a few scratches," explained the nurse, "and there are no visible signs of trauma, however we can't be sure until she wakes up."

Mikoto was already standing by the bed, looking down at the girl. She let out a breath. "What about what happened to her mind? Do we know anything yet?"

"The doctor wanted to discuss that with you. I'll bring him in."

Mikoto's eyes didn't leave the girl in the bed. One of her fists clenched tightly as her eyebrows furrowed. Behind her, Uiharu and Saten looked more worried for the Electromaster than the Teleporter now. They looked at each other, wondering if they should offer words of comfort, but Saten shook her head no. They decided not to say anything.

A few minutes of awkward silence passed as they waited. None of them moved, except for Saten who shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other a few times. Eventually the long-haired girl caved in and asked shyly, "Um, hey, are you guys thirsty? Maybe I can get some drinks for us, or…"

The Electromaster jumped. She had apparently forgotten there were people other than her and Kuroko in the room. She didn't look back as she mumbled, "Sure, that'd be great, thanks."

Saten wasted no time in leaving. Uiharu mentioned quietly about going with her and left as well. Now it really was just the Level 4 and 5.

Mikoto gritted her teeth. _It's all my fault. _She covered her eyes with her hand. _If I hadn't yelled at her yesterday, if I hadn't been such an ass, then… she would have gone to class, and she wouldn't have gone on this assignment, and…_

"Misaka-san?" came a voice. She jumped again and turned around to face a very familiar doctor. Unlike usual, however, his frog-face didn't cheer her up.

"Oh, um, hello doctor," she said awkwardly, not even bothering to address him formally (_Wasn't his name Heaven-something? _She couldn't really remember right now).

He smiled. "Hello. How are you? I heard you were involved in the fight alongside Miss Shirai."

"I'm fine." That came out curter than she meant it. "I'm more concerned about Kuroko. What's wrong with her? How do we fix it? Is she going to-?"

"Misaka-san, please," he chuckled and made a motion for her to calm down. He then motioned to a couple nearby chairs. "Have a seat. I'll explain what we know."

Her cheeks lit up a little bit. Reluctant and a little embarrassed, she sat down and said no more. The doctor followed suit and sighed. His reassuring smile faded and was replaced with a serious, firm line. Mikoto prepared herself for the worst news, and whatever blame she would carry with it.

"Miss Shirai has suffered serious memory damage. Her memories have not been erased, per se, but rather 'cut off'. They are still there, but the neural pathways that her brain uses to access them have been shut down. It seems the only memories she has retained are those of her childhood. Everything else is completely inaccessible."

Each word made Mikoto's frown grow larger. "What about her teleportation?"

He leaned back in his chair. "As you know, Teleporters require precise calculations in order to move through the eleven-dimensional space required for teleporting. These calculations were most likely held in the memories of elementary school that she attended in Academy City, which are not part of the memories she has retained."

"So she can't teleport anymore…" Her voice caught in her throat near the end.

"She won't even remember that she _could_ teleport."

Her fists clenched on the ends of the chair. "What about a cure?"

"We're working on that." He sighed. "Unfortunately, the criminal really is too low a level to reverse the effects of his ability, so we'll have to do it without his help. We are doing some analysis on his ability to see if we can find a clue, however."

Now anger began to bubble up within her. "So you pretty much have no idea how to reverse this?"

"Oh no, we know what we have to do. Whether or not we can do it is the issue."

She thought for a moment. "Is there anything I can do? I mean, the brain is all about electric signals, right?"

"We don't know enough about what's wrong to be able to start trying to repair it yet. However, I will inform you if your ability can be of use to us." He managed a small smile. "I can see you feel obliged to help her somehow, so I'll respect that."

She flushed a little and looked away. "Well, she _is_ my roommate and my best friend and all…" Her voice trailed off at the end. "And besides, I…I owe it to her."

"Oh, I see." He chuckled. "You two had a fight before this, didn't you?"

"Eh?" The Electromaster looked, well, shocked. "How did you know?"

"I can see the guilt etched in your expression." He leaned over and placed a firm hand on her shoulder. "Whatever happened between you two couldn't possibly have caused this. Don't blame yourself for something you couldn't control."

She pursed her lips, partially because he had guessed their situation so easily, but also because she knew he was right: she could blame herself all she wanted, but really, what could she have done? What could she have known that would have changed the outcome? Of course, at this time Mikoto shoved all ideas of 'it wasn't my fault' out of her head. How could she not have had something to do with her roommate's current condition?

Eventually she sighed and looked back to the girl in the bed. "Anyway, I'd like to stick around for awhile, if that's okay."

"Of course. Visiting hours is still open." The doctor stood up and went over to one of the machines, the one that all the wires on the girl's head were attached to. "We may have some more results before you have to leave, as well."

"Then I'm definitely staying." She had already pulled up her chair next to the Teleporter's bed and sat down firmly.

The doctor chuckled. "As you wish. I will return when we have more information." With that, he gave her a nod and turned to leave.

"Doctor, one more thing."

He looked back to her. "Yes?"

Her voice caught in her throat before she spoke. "Her memories…You said the only ones she has left were before elementary school, so that means…"

The look she gave him was firm, but he could see that desperate sadness in her eyes. He knew what she was going to ask without her finishing. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Miss Shirai should wake up soon. When she does, she'll be very confused. Be gentle with her." And he left.

Mikoto turned back to the girl in the bed. The peaceful look on the (ex) Teleporter's face was her only distraction from the pain in her chest. _I guess I should try to look on the bright side, _she thought. _At least she won't remember the fight…_

A few minutes later, Saten and Uiharu returned. Mikoto, too focused on her roommate, paid them no mind and mumbled her thanks when she took the drink she was offered. The two other girls then leaned against the wall next to the bed.

"So, uh," Saten started, trying to bake the ice, "I saw a doctor leaving here. Did he tell you anything?"

The Electromaster didn't respond at first, but finally said, "She'll be fine. She'll wake up soon," rather gruffly. She was so on edge, however, that the other two knew that probably wasn't the case.

Uiharu leaned over to her friend and lowered her voice. "It's probably not good; let's not press her for information right now."

Saten only nodded and they fell silent again.

For the next few hours, it was another agonizing wait. Saten had no plans and Uiharu had gotten off Judgment work for the day so neither of them saw any reason to leave. Even if they wanted to (simply to get away from the terribly awkward air the Electromaster was creating), they were also the Teleporter's friends and wouldn't have any fun while she was still unconscious. One of the nurses checked in on them a couple times and kindly brought the two who were standing a couple more chairs. As fate would have it, just as she returned, movement came from the bed.

Mikoto was up and leaning over her in a heartbeat. "She's waking up…!"

The nurse sighed in relief. "Please watch her. I'll get the doctor."

The remaining three watched as the brunette began to stir. Her forehead twitched a couple times and she let out a quiet groan. They found themselves holding their breath as her eyes began to flutter open.

The Electromaster's hand was over hers now. She gulped, trying to force her voice out. Finally she spoke in a shaky voice.

"Kuroko…?"

She seemed dazed as she stared at Mikoto. It took a moment for her eyes to focus.

In her heart, Mikoto prayed that the doctor was wrong. She prayed that those memories would still be intact. She prayed nothing would change.

Then Kuroko furrowed her eyebrows and pulled her hand away. "Excuse me, but who are you to address me so familiarly?"

* * *

**Oh my, what a predicament. What's a Railgun to do? Worry, confusion, guilt...so many emotions, and with an amnesiatic Teleporter on top of all things! Hard to decide if its more difficult than fighting evil, huh?**

**But do not fret! I can tell you now these two have an interesting journey ahead of them, so I hope you'll stick around to see how it unfolds! In the meantime, thanks for reading and drop me a review if you would like!**


	2. Second Indication

**Welcome back everyone! Chapter 2 has arrived at long last! Thank you soooooo much for your patience and lovely reviews! It makes me incredibly happy to know people love this as much as I do. ^^ And a big thanks to Kamilia07329 for beta-reading as usual!**

**Get ready cuz things are gonna start developing in this chapter! So without further ado, enjoy~!**

* * *

"What is your name?"

"Kuroko Shirai."

"How old are you?"

"Thirteen years old."

"Do you know where you are right now?"

"Well, since you're a doctor and I'm in a bed hooked to machines, I would assume a hospital."

"Yes, but a hospital where?"

"Academy City, of course."

"Hm…" The frog-faced doctor leaned back in his chair. "So you remember coming here?"

"Yes. I came here for psychic training." She paused and looked away with a rather scornful look. "On my own."

The doctor nodded as the nurse next to him scribbled something down on a clipboard. "How long have you been in the city?"

"My memories tell me not very long, but it feels like I've been here awhile." She huffed. "You said I've suffered memory damage, yes? How bad is it?"

The doctor hesitated. Kuroko only scoffed. "Doctor, if you are concerned that I will react adversely to that information, I can assure you I will be fine."

He didn't seem convinced, but he sighed nonetheless. "Well, Miss Shirai, you are currently enrolled as a first year at Tokiwadai Middle School, you are a Level 4 Teleporter, and you are an officer of Judgment. You also have many friends and have been through many ordeals since you arrived here several years ago. The fact that you remember none of this means it is quite serious."

She sighed. "I expected as much." Finally, she looked past the doctor. "And Miss Misaka over there is one of these friends?"

Their eyes met for a moment before the older girl looked away. Kuroko didn't quite understand the flash of agony she saw in her eyes.

"Yes. Misaka is your roommate. You've lived together for over a year."

"I see." She looked back to the doctor. "How long must you keep me? I assume I have duties to return to, being a student as well as an officer, yes?"

"We've contacted your school as well as your Judgment branch and informed them of the situation. You have been excused from all your classes and relieved of work until we can restore your memories. As for how long we'll keep you here" – he looked over to one of the machines, which another nurse was taking notes from. She looked at him and nodded, to which he nodded and looked back to Kuroko – "it seems our tests have finished for now, and since you are not seriously injured, we can discharge you tonight."

"Good. Thank you, doctor."

He smiled and stood up. "Our nurses will help you get changed. I will sign for your release." As the nurses began to help the small girl, the doctor turned to leave, motioning for the Electromaster to follow. She obeyed without as much as a change in expression.

When they were outside he turned to her and sighed again. Now his expression looked dim. "She seems fine, but I am worried that she may try to find the answers to her memory loss on her own. Be cautious if she asks about the incident and keep a close eye on her. I've put in a request for you to be excused from your classes as well so you can take care of her. Try to spend time with her as you can. It may help her re-access her memories. However, watch what you say about her Judgment work or school work. We don't want her trying to return to her everyday life just yet." His eyes traveled back to the door."Also, be aware that she no longer has an ability. As of now, Kuroko Shirai is effectively a Level 0." He took a breath. "I know this might be hard for you, but she will do best if she's with someone who is close to her."

Mikoto nodded every once in awhile. When he finished, she sighed and spoke for the first time since the girl had awoken. "I know. I'll take good care of her."

He smiled. "Very good. I'll have her paperwork done in a few minutes. Then you girls can return home."

As he left, Saten and Uiharu approached Mikoto. They had been waiting worriedly just down the hall, but knew better than to get involved until the conversation was over. Now the Electromaster looked a little more approachable, so Saten took no time in asking, "So, how is she?"

Mikoto's expression was equal to that of a businessman who had just gotten off work. She gave them a shrug. "Besides not remembering anything about the past few years, she's fine. They're sending her home with me tonight."

Uiharu let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried it was something terrible." She then panicked and added, "W-well, more terrible, like, um—"

"It's cool, I know what you meant," Mikoto assured her. She managed a small goofy smile. "At least she's not brain-dead, right?"

"Eheh, r-right…"

Saten let out a breath. "Well, I guess we should head home too. Keep us in the loop, okay?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

"You're sure you don't need us for anything else?" asked Uiharu worriedly.

"Nah. We're just going home."

"Well, let us know if you do." They said their goodbyes and the two made their way out. Saten, however, stopped and ran back to Mikoto, quickly dropping her voice and adding with a small smile, "And don't worry, okay? Shirai's crazy about you; I'm sure it won't take long for her to remember how she feels."

The Electromaster was a little surprised, but she smiled rather fondly and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, Saten."

The long-haired girl grinned, darting off after her companion and pouncing on her. Their banter faded off into the hallway as they disappeared around a corner.

Mikoto waved at them as they left. When they were gone, her hand fell along with her smile.

_Won't take long, huh…Hope she's right…_

She decided not to re-enter the room, instead opting to sit on the bench next to it. She could hear rustling from inside as the nurses helped the girl dress. There were a few comments like "you shouldn't push yourself" to which the (ex-)Teleporter disagreed. Mikoto thought she was probably being stubborn and wanting to dress herself. That thought made her chuckle._At least that much is the same,_ she thought more solemnly than in jest.

A few minutes later, the door slid open and the brunette stepped out. She looked to the Electromaster, who rose to face her.

Kuroko pointed her nose in the air. "It seems I'm to return home with you. Since I don't remember where it is, I give you permission to lead me there."

Mikoto scrunched up her nose. _Looks like she's going to give me a hard time, _she bemoaned. "Gee, thanks."

"If you'd like, we can call you a cab," came one of the nurses. "Young girls shouldn't be walking around alone at this hour."

"Hmph," Kuroko scoffed. "I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"They're right, though, and I'd rather not take the chance." Mikoto looked to the nurses. "If you could, I'd really appreciate it."

They both smiled and left to do so. Mikoto went after them. As they made their way back down to the ground floor, she looked back at her roommate. She was following quietly, a slight scowl on her face as she glared at the ground in front of her. She noticed she was being watched and softened her features to a simple frown. "Do you need something?" she asked curtly.

Mikoto didn't refrain from glaring at her. "No. I was just checking on you."

"I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me."

"I'm not worrying about you."

"Then there's no need to feint it."

They looked away from each other, the Electromaster now seething with irritation and the ex-Teleporter with annoyance. The nurses, who had noticed their quarrel, only sighed and shook their heads.

They reached the ground floor and approached the check-in desk. The woman there stamped Kuroko's release papers, looking her over one more time before nodding and wishing her well. Kuroko gave her a small nod and a polite thank you. The woman then handed a note to Mikoto. It was from the doctor for their dorm supervisor, explaining the situation in order to excuse them for being late. She thanked her and they made their way out. Just as they left, Mikoto spotted the doctor and waved to him. He smiled in a "good luck" sort of way and waved back. Outside, a cab had arrived and the nurses made sure the two got in safely. They waved as the cab pulled away.

Both girls were silent on the ride home. Mikoto kept looking over to her roommate, but was met with a cold shoulder. She did notice the smaller girl's expression was now more distressed than irritated.

Mikoto sighed inwardly. _I don't get it. Kuroko's always been kind of a hardass but this is strange. I didn't know she could be so…cold. _She scratched her cheek. _Then again, she always acted very differently around me. I don't really know how she acts with people she doesn't know…_

She looked back to her and watched her reflection in the window. _And now I'm just a someone to her…_

The hospital wasn't all that far from the Tokiwadai dorms. Mikoto was so lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed when they pulled up to the building. It was only when Kuroko grumbled "I believe we've arrived" at her that she snapped back to reality. She quickly paid the driver and they stepped out.

"Is this the right place?" asked the younger girl.

"Yep. This is home." Mikoto sighed. "I just hope the dorm supervisor will understand."

"Well you have a note for us, don't you?" She strode towards the door. "I don't understand why there would be an issue."

Mikoto sighed and followed her._Well if you remembered what our dorm supervisor is like, you would. _

No sooner had they entered were they caught by the supervisor. She glared down the bridge of her nose at them, her glasses shinning in the light and obscuring her eyes. Mikoto almost shivered like she always did under that gaze. Kuroko, however, held a firm look.

"Misaka. Shirai." Her voice was laced with poison. "So you've finally decided to return."

Mikoto chuckled. "Yes, well, we have a reason for our tardiness this time."

"Oh?" The woman paused long enough for the Electromaster to hand her the paper. She quickly read over it before looking back to the girls. "I see. I do remember receiving a call about this earlier."

"So there is no problem, then?" Kuroko was unusually curt. "If you don't mind, I'd like to retire for the day. I'm quite tired."

The light on the woman's glasses shifted and her deadly gaze could clearly be seen as it fell on the ex-Teleporter. "Cheeky tonight, aren't we, Miss Shirai?"

Mikoto panicked. "Ahah, well, she's _really_ not feeling well. Please pay her no mind." She quickly started to push Kuroko towards the stairs. "I'll just take her to bed. Excuse us."

The piercing glare didn't let up, but the woman gave an affirmative sound and let them go. Mikoto didn't stop pushing her companion along until they were in the correct hallway, at which point the ex-Teleporter pushed her hands away and firmly declared that she could walk without prodding. Mikoto huffed and let it go, leading her the rest of the way.

Finally, they reached their room. Mikoto unlocked the door and entered, flipping on the light switch. With a sigh she flopped on her bed and groaned into her pillow.

"Man, I'm beat…" She looked over at the other girl. "Though I'm sure you're more-"

But she stopped almost immediately. Kuroko was looking around with a blank expression as one would in an unfamiliar location. Her hand trailed along the bed and to the desk. She looked over the books and papers on it as if trying to remember their purpose. Her face didn't show it, but Mikoto could tell the girl was lost, unsure what to do in this place that was supposed to be her "home".

And it made her chest hurt.

"Kuroko…" she spoke softly.

The girl was back to her mild look in the blink of an eye. "Despite whatever relationship we had, I ask that you not address me as such."

Mikoto's expression immediately changed to irritation. "Well what do you want me to call you? Shirai?"

"That would be fine."

She huffed. Feeling angry and hurt at the same time was not very pleasant.

"Fine, _Shirai._" She pointed to the other bed and then to the other door in the room. "That's your bed and the bathroom is just over there."

"I could figure that much out myself, thank you." She slowly went to sit on her bed, running her hand over the sheets. She then looked down at the uniform she was wearing, again with that blank look. Mikoto saw her lips move but didn't hear anything. Then the girl asked, "So this is the school uniform?"

"Yeah." She propped her head up on her hand. "Oh, and you have to wear it at all times. Don't forget that or you'll get in trouble."

"Hmph. I expected as much from a school of this sort…" the brunette grumbled.

"But you don't have to sleep in it."

Kuroko gave her a 'really?' sort of look. Mikoto blushed in embarrassment and looked away. "I was just making sure, okay?"

"You must feel very obligated to take care of me if you're going that fa-"

"It's not obligation!" snapped the Electromaster as she sat up. Her voice immediately quieted and she looked down and away. Her hands gripped at the sheets. "You're just…my…"

The younger girl remained silent and watched her with a confused stare. Mikoto shook her head and grumbled "Nevermind" as she stood up. She made her way to the bathroom door and looked back at her roommate. "Your clothes are in the closet next to you. I'm going to bed soon, so you should too." She entered the bathroom without another word.

As soon as she got in, she turned on the faucet. Her eyes glued themselves to the running water and her ears focused on the sound. Before long, her hand drifted to her face and she let out a long, agonizing sigh. "The way she looked so lost…This is terrible," she whispered to herself.

_I don't know if I can do this. _She clenched her shirt. _My chest hurts, my head hurts…Everything hurts and I don't know why._ She leaned over and splashed some water on her face. _Maybe it's just shock? I mean, having your best friend suddenly forget you and everything you've been through together for years is just… _Her hands aimlessly began to scrub her face as well. _Well, overwhelming. _

Mikoto lost track of time and ended up spending well over an hour just going through her bedtime routine. It had been dusk when they arrived, but when she finally emerged it was already black outside. As she had expected, her roommate was already in bed with the lights out. The Electromaster sighed as she lazily turned on the light by her bed with a small electric shock. She was in a sort of trance as she changed, turned off the light with another shock, and got into bed.

_Maybe if I'm lucky, I'll wake up tomorrow and this'll just have been a dream, _she sighed inwardly. But as she took one last look at Kuroko, her back facing her and hiding her face from view, she knew she wasn't that lucky. This was too real for it to be a dream anyway. Huffing, she rolled over and forced her mind to quiet so she could finally sleep.

- とある科学のレールガン–

Mikoto was awoken by a strange shifting sound the next morning. She groaned and rolled over towards the source of the sound, lazily opening one eye. It took a moment to focus on the blurry form that was moving up and down just over the edge of her bed. When it did, she realized it was actually Kuroko moving up and down. A moment of thinking allowed her to realize she was doing push-ups.

"Mm…" She rubbed her eyes. "Kuroko? What are you doing?"

The girl huffed and responded without stopping. "I told you not to call me by my first name."

Mikoto groaned. "_Shirai_, what are you doing?" As she sat up, she realized the small table normally in between their beds had been moved. The spot was now occupied by the other girl. "Working out?"

"Obviously." She stopped and flipped over to start doing crunches. Mikoto noticed she was wearing a pair of track shorts and a tank top.

"Um…Why?"

"Why not?" After about thirty crunches in rapid succession she paused and looked at the Level 5 with a plain look. "Don't you work out?"

She felt like that gaze was mocking her but kept her voice from showing any reaction. "Not really. Not outside of PE classes, anyway."

"Well, perhaps you should consider it." The ex-Teleporter had completed twenty crunches and was still going. Mikoto watched her complete close to fifty before she flipped over and began push-ups again.

"Geez, how much do you do?" mumbled the Electromaster. "The day's barely begun and it's like you're training for an Olympic event…"

"It depends on the day." She returned to crunches. "I usually do two sets of fifty push-ups and crunches and run at least five miles. I continue in the afternoons when I have more time."

Mikoto grumbled nonsense under her breath and got up. She almost wished she had the perverted Kuroko back; at least she could shock that one for being lewd. This one just infuriated her and there was little she could do about it. This one had an interesting dedication to her, though, something she only saw in the old Kuroko when she was working on a Judgment case.

As she started her morning routine, Kuroko continued, paying her no mind. The Electromaster was about to comment on her not getting ready for class before she remembered she was excused from all of them. She gave herself a mental bop on the head. _Duh, how could I forget?_

Her heart flinched at the last word in that thought.

Would Kuroko remember?

She shook her head fiercely. _Come on, we don't have time for being all mopey like that._ She pulled out her uniform. _Gotta focus on more important things._

There was a 'hmph' from the ex-Teleporter's direction. "I see you're going to classes today," she commented as she stood up and started stretching her arms.

"Well yeah. It's the middle of the week." Mikoto felt a slight glare on her and turned to face the girl, but this time wore a smirk. "Why, did you want me to stay home and babysit you?"

This earned her a sharp glare she didn't know the smaller girl was capable of. "I don't need you nor could I care less what you do. I simply thought that, as my roommate, you would find taking care of me more important." She paused and added something under her breath which Mikoto couldn't hear.

The Level 5 glared back at her, irritation bubbling up in her expression. "You just said you don't need me. Why do you want me to want to help you?" She heard the murmur of words after that statement and huffed, leaning towards her. "What was that?" she snapped.

"Nothing." Suddenly the girl was up and striding towards the bathroom. "I don't need to explain myself to you." The words spat out like acid as she brushed passed the older girl and to the door.

"What's your problem?" growled the Electromaster. "_You're_ the one being hostile right now."

"Perhaps I wouldn't be so hostile if you weren't antagonizing me?" It was more of a statement than a question. She paused before opening the door and looked at Mikoto as if she was looking down on her. Her eyes held almost…detest for the upperclassmen, the person a past version of her once called her friend.

"Do what you will, but I will not put my well-being in the hands of a stranger."She strode into the bathroom with a hard shut of the door.

Mikoto was stunned. Her mind was swirling with emotions: anger at the foremost, followed by disbelief, confusion, and…sadness? She once saw the old Kuroko act hostile towards someone, but…the cold shoulder the night before, and now this stab in the heart? No no, this couldn't be happening! Kuroko wouldn't do that to her! She tried to shake her head to rid it of her feelings but it stuck around. It was definitely way it weighed on her chest was all too familiar.

_How could she act like that towards me? _she thought, her inner voice speaking as if she felt profoundly betrayed._Aren't I her Onee-sama? Aren't we-?_

The voice dropped off and she looked down at the ground. _No. Kuroko doesn't know me. She doesn't remember anything before now. _Her eyes rose and met their sad, distraught twins in the mirror just across form her. _I really am…just a stranger to her._

Slowly it settled in that this was the answer to her question.

_Of course Kuroko won't remember._

…

Sometime later, Kuroko emerged from the bathroom, re-dressed and roughly drying her hair with a towel. She said nothing as she strode to her bed, but just as she sat down, she noticed the other girl on her bed. Her knees were up to her chest and her eyes were hidden behind her hair.

She huffed. "Don't you have class soon?"

The other girl didn't move nor respond. Kuroko scrunched up her nose and got up, taking one large stride to reach the side of her bed. "I asked you a question. It would be polite of you to answer."

This time she noticed the older girl flinch at her words but still said nothing. A moment later she hugged her knees closer to her chest. She looked as if she was trying to shrink away from her.

Actually, Mikoto wasn't even paying attention. She had spent the duration of the other girl's shower thinking about what to do, constantly switching between fatalistic whines of "there's nothing I can do" to enraged yells of "I'll just do what I normally do and barrel through this!" Her head was throbbing from the frustration that arose from the conflict. It was enough that she had trouble focusing on what the girl said. Her obviously irritated response only made Mikoto's head hurt more, so she tried to shrink away, hoping the girl might clue in and leave her alone.

Finally she gave in and looked to the girl with half-lidded eyes. "Look, uh…I'm not feeling all that well. I might have caught a cold or something. I'm just going to stay home for the day."

That wasn't really what she wanted since she'd be around Kuroko and have no real time to think in peace, but being in class wasn't going to be any better. Besides, she had forgotten until now that she was already excused from all her classes along with her roommate. Might as well take advantage of that.

Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" She paused before letting out a huff and turning away. "You don't have to lie to me. I can tell you felt bad, going to classes and leaving me alone here. That's why you're staying home."

Mikoto looked to the younger girl. She seemed to have zoned out and was aimlessly caressing the edge of her bed. The Electromaster could feel the same feeling of emptinessfrom the night before emanating from her. Deciding to let the girl have the benefit of the doubt, she chuckled a little. "Can't fool you, can I?" She looked down. "You don't need my help, but I'll be here for you anyway."

She saw the girl visibly tense. "Hmph," she mumbled, clutching the sheets. "This is the part where I tell you 'thanks a lot', right?"

"That'd be nice, but I know you won't say it."

"Indeed I won't."

Something about the brunette's tone made her seem a little less hostile. Maybe she felt bad for hurting Mikoto's feelings? The Level 5 couldn't be sure, but it didn't matter. At least she was a little easier to deal with – for now. Shrugging, she got up and started to put her shoes on. "You must be hungry after working out. Let's get some breakfast."

When she looked at Kuroko, she caught a glimpse of the smirk on her face before she hardened her expression. "Very well, I will accompany you." She also put on her shoes and made for the door. "At least then I'll know where the dining hall is."

Mikoto rolled her eyes. She opened the door for them, letting the younger exit first, and quickly followed._Well, at least she's just being a hardass rather than a pain in the ass._ As they walked, however, her mind returned to the issue at hand. How _was_ she going to deal with this new Kuroko? Bad vibes came off of her in waves and it seemed like she had no good side to get on. And what about her memories? What was she going to tell her? She remembered the doctor telling her not to reveal too much about school or Judgment, but what about her personal life? If Kuroko finally asked what their relationship was like, what was she going to say?

In fact…what was their relationship to begin with?

"Misaka-san," came the sharp call of the other girl. She realized she had stopped walking and flushed red, hurriedly taking the lead again, mumbling "S-Sorry, got a lot on my mind."

Kuroko frowned. "I hope this is not a usual state of mind," she began and continued on with a lecture about the inconvenience it would cause her. Mikoto tuned her out and kept walking.

_Then again, _thought the Electromaster with a smirk as they neared the dining hall, _this Kuroko isn't all that different._

- とある科学のレールガン–

The day introduced Mikoto to a new level of frustration. She caught on quickly to the new Kuroko's rather short temper and "I am an ojou-sama and should be treated as one" attitude, which wasn't all that surprising considering the old Kuroko had acted very similar at times. But that was where the similarities ended. She had to set aside all the previously-established presumptions about the girl and either reform them or create completely new ones. It was equivalent of an author taking an old manuscript and editing it into a new story, except Mikoto was sure that was probably four hundred times easier than having to get to know a person she had known for years, again.

Breakfast was not as frustrating. The ex-Teleporter focused on eating and not conversation, allowing Mikoto time to plan out everything for the day. It was probably a good idea to show her around the dorms, the school, and eventually the city, but how quickly or extensively she should go through each was unclear, as was what exactly to show her. While the old Kuroko liked hanging out with her friends, this Kuroko probably didn't want anything to do with that, based on the reactions she had already expressed. She seemed to still be an intelligent person and seemed to like keeping fit, so maybe the library and some local training spots would be good locations to introduce her to.

Then again, she had to take into account that the girl no longer had an ability. Any training spots would have to be available or useful to non-espers. That was having trouble sticking in her brain; almost every thought would be accompanied by _Oh she can teleport_ immediately followed by _No, wait, not anymore._

And every time she thought that, it chipped away another piece of her heart.

Suddenly she was brought back to the real world by a loud cough. She looked to Kuroko, the obvious source of the sound, and was met with a half-glare. "You have been awfully quiet," she stated, not looking away from her as she took a few bites of her food.

Mikoto sighed and leaned back in her seat. "I'm thinking."

"I see." Her tone gave off no indication of interest.

The older girl pursed her lips. "Don't you want to know what I was thinking about?"

"Not at all. That is your business." She raised an eyebrow. "Why would you suggest such a thing?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you used to always-"

She stopped herself. Should she really be saying something about their past together?

Kuroko now looked interested. "I used to always what?"

She panicked. "N-Nothing." The Level 5 was suddenly very interested in her food. She hoped stuffing her face full of breakfast would cut off their conversation. Luckily, the younger girl turn back to her own food as well, but with a small glint of disappointment in her eyes.

Mikoto sighed inwardly. _She talks tough, _she thought as a smile played at her lips, _but she's still got a little bit of that soft Kuroko in her somewhere._

With this in mind, they finished breakfast and exited. Mikoto decided she should ask if the girl wanted to go anywhere specific, to which she replied by assuring the girl wherever they visited would be beneficial in some way._I thought as much_, the Electromaster grumbled. At least her hostile aura had diminished a little. In fact, the younger girl seemed a little sad now. Was it because of her mentioning something about the past? But Mikoto didn't want to deal with that right now. She pushed thought away as she pushed the girl out (which she vehemently disagreed with, as expected).

That was where the frustration started. As they toured the city, Kuroko's attitude fluctuated as often as the street lights changed colors. Half the time she was angry – sometimes she'd complain about how long it took to reach a place, or she'd pick on the Level 5 for something she did wrong – and the other half she was unnaturally quiet. So quiet Mikoto had to check several times to make sure the girl was still following her. She was never fast enough to catch the girl's expression, but she could tell something was bothering her.

_Well of course she's bothered_, she grumbled inwardly. _She's in a place she doesn't remember with a person she doesn't remember. She's gotta be confused…_ That familiar pain returned to her heart. _She must feel so alone…_

Suddenly she stopped and turned back to the girl. It was fast enough to catch her expression this time – one of sadness, that of a child alone in the world, just as she had expected. Of course, it changed back to a mildly irritated look when the ex-Teleporter noticed her looking at her. Sighing, Mikoto leaned against the wall behind her. They had stopped in an alleyway between one of the parks and their next destination.

"Listen, Ku-…Shirai," she started, letting her lips fall into a frown and her expression betray her inner worry. "I know you don't need help, and you don't really know me, but…I'm right here, okay?"

Kuroko huffed. "I know, you've stated this before."

Mikoto also huffed. "I'm being serious, you know." The corners of her mouth rose a little. "But if you need anything – anything at all, no matter what it is, you can rely on me, kay?" Her eyes turned down. "You and I…we're roommates and all that, so…"

The other girl was quiet for a bit. When Mikoto looked at her, she was looking to the side with a slightly red face. _Hah! _a small voice in her head yelped in triumph. _I knew there was some of the old Kuroko in there!_ She held in a smile and waited for the girl to react. When she did, it was with a 'hmph!' and a firm cross of her arms.

"I already told you, I won't put my well-being in the hands of a stranger." Although it was the same line she had heard before, this time Mikoto could hear more stubbornness in her voice than malice. This was apparent when the girl fidgeted a bit before adding, "So, I guess I should probably get to know you," followed by a nigh inaudible grumble of, "since we're roommates and all…"

Mikoto couldn't hold back the grin that spread across her face. "Good!" Then she grabbed the girl's hand and dragged her out of the ally with a chipper, "Then let's get started!"

Kuroko started yelping in protest, but if one listened carefully, there was a certain timbre to them that indicated half-heartedness and maybe a bit of excitement – and that was good enough for Mikoto.

* * *

**...But is it good enough for you guys? Probably not. Good thing there's more to come!**

**NOTICE: Because I love you all because you're fabulous and awesome and all that, I wanted to point out that NaNoWriMo has started and I am participating! Because this pretty much demands that I write about 5k words a day on top of the 15-page papers I already write, the next few chapters may take longer to come out. But don't be sad! I will be working on this all throughout, it'll just take time. Keep doin' what yer doin' and the next chapter will be up in no time.**

**If you'd like to leave a review, please do so! This Kuroko doesn't get much Onee-sama love these days and your reviews are a perfect replacement. ^^ See ya in the next chapter~!**


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